Scurge: Hive [DS]

It's amusing and slightly sobering to look at a game like Scurge: Hive and realize the games we once thrilled to on a PC are now diversions on the simplest game system. But playing Scurge, you'll also get the sense that history is at work; the development team obviously likes old arcade sci-fi, and loves the original Metroid. Echoes of that game lurk in Scurge's presentation, modular upgrades, and central heroine... but not in the gameplay or lasting appeal.

Scurge is, at heart, a straightforward isometric shooter. While trying to destroy an infectious infestation, you'll race through room after room blasting everything that moves, desperately trying to open the next door while staying alive and managing your own infection level. Key-card and level puzzles abound, as do respawning enemies.

But Scurge is a lot more difficult to control than the isometric action adventures of old. Getting in line with your enemies proves to be frustratingly difficult, as they bounce and float around the limited screen real estate. With a different viewing angle things might be easier, but the isometric action requires more 45-degree control precision than the DS gamepad is able to muster.

Simply taking a few hits wouldn't be so bad, because when eventually blasted, many enemies dissolve into healing energy. But contact with almost anything -- enemies, their attacks, and even that red goop on the floor -- increases your level of infection, which can typically be brought down to tolerable levels only by backtracking to one of the cleansing stations. Those stations also double as save points.

Scurge may love Metroid, but unlike Nintendo's classic these levels are not so well built that you want to trek through them over and over again, which is what's required to survive. And while respawning enemies are to be expected, we hate having to go around and re-trigger all the activation switches every time we come back to a room that has a movable platform or other interactive point.

It may be obvious from the graphics that the title was initially developed for the GBA, but the clean sprites and cool sound effects are welcome, no matter the system of origin. The DS touch screen is nearly useless, however, typically only showing off a map that, while useful at times, will too often be used as part of a pseudo cutscene that goes on way too long.

Though the action and presentation of Scurge should be really satisfying to old-school arcade hounds, we've got real reservations about recommending it because of the poor control response. What should be an afternoon (or two) worth of fun turns into one of those memorably frustrating experiences as you and the game system seem to be playing different games. We love Metroid and Alien Syndrome and all those games, too, and this time it might just be better to dig up the real thing.